Cargo ship sinks off China coast; eight killed

Beijing: A cargo ship sank off China`s
south-eastern coast on Saturday, drowning eight crew members and
leaving the other two missing.

A spokesman of the maritime rescue centre said by noon
rescuers had saved one person, recovered eight bodies, and
were still searching for the remaining two missing.

In all 11 persons were on board the ship at the time of
the accident.

The Xinyuanshun 6 cargo ship, registered in Beihai of
China`s Guangxi, was carrying 5,000 tonnes of pottery clay to
the coastal Shandong province when it sank off the coast of
Chongwu in Fujian province at about 3 a m (local time), the
spokesman said.

The vessel might have capsised after goods slid to one
side of its hold, he added.

Eleven boats and two helicopters were involved in the
rescue, battling strong winds and rough seas, the spokesman
said.

The lone crew member rescued had been hospitalised, Xinhua
news agency reported.

Authorities are probing the cause of the sinking and have
sent an alert for an oil spill.